May 1998

Scott WendholtBeyond ThursdayDouble-Time Jazz

This fine CD recalls Miles Davis' Filles de Kilimanjaro album. Wendholt's trumpet has a Milesian flavor, although Freddie Hubbard, Woody Shaw and Tom Harrell are suggested, too. The presence of an electric piano throughout-played by Dave Berkman-amplifies the Kilimanjaro similarity. There is also a lyrical aura, with Wendholt's quartet (with bassist Tony Scherr and drummer Adam Watson) floating and flowing through the performances, sometimes aggressively but more often in a cooler vein.

The group reharmonizes standards such as "The Party's Over," "I'll Be Seeing You" and "We'll Be Together Again" (a trumpet-piano duet), giving them an impressionistic cast. On "Well, You Needn't" they play the "A" section out-of-tempo (the style reminiscent of Bitches Brew) and the "B" section uptempo. Berkman's "Fairy Tail" is an attractive ECM-ish original.

Wendholt is currently playing the Thad Jones cornet parts in the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, and he has worked regularly with Vincent Herring. After three albums as a leader for Criss Cross, this is his first for a new label-and it's very impressive.